Fence-post



(110 Model.)

J. H. HELM.

I PENGE POST. 110. 244,233. g 1 Patented July 12,1881.

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? NITED STATES 'J. HENRY HELM, OF ALLEGHENY CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

FENCE-POST,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,233, dated July 12, 1881.

' Application filed April 22, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J. HENRY HELM, of Allegheny City, in the county Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fence-Posts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to fence-posts; and it consists of a metallic angle-iron drive-post having a hinged or pivoted brace or limb, which is preferably also of an gle-iron. The three requisites of a good fence-post are security of hold in the ground, stiffness, and cheapness. The first two of these are obtained in the wooden post; but by reason of its bulk, increasing first cost, cost of placing, and rapid decay it is objectionable. A single iron post does not give the required security in the ground without too expensive a construction of base. A double post of angle-iron, such as is shown in my Patent No. 231,667, of August 31, 1880, secures many advantages; but my present invention is an improvement thereon, in that 1 am enabled to drive it without the use of any guide-piece whatever, that the iron is of simpler form, that the brace is lighter and need not be so long, and that the effect of driving the post with hinged brace is to change and increase the angle of the latter to the post proper as the driving progresses, and thereby secure a firmer and better hold, the brace not cutting the earth and making a wide loose hole, as it would if rigidly attached to the straight post.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describeit by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved fence-post. Fig. 2 is a side view, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the driving-cap.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

The post a is preferably made of angle-iron 3 but it may be made of any other desirable form of flange-iron, such as T, channel, or other variety. It has staple-holes b punched at suitable intervals in its front flange, a, for the attachment of the malleable-iron staples 0, by which the wires are fastened. The rear flange, a is punched at d for the attachment of the rear brace, e. The rear brace, e, is made of flat or flanged iron of any desired shape. As shown, it is made of angle-iron of smaller crosssectional area orlighter pattern than the post a. It is punched at e, and pivoted to the post a by means of a pin, g, passing through the holes e and cl. I provide a cap or driving piece, h, having a square plug, h, which is set in the angle of the post a, and, resting upon the upper end of the brace 6, drives it into the ground, while the upper end of the post a comes against and is driven by the cap. The lugs h k extend down outside of the flanges a a and thereby retain the cap in place. The position of the post and cap in driving is shown in Fig. 2. The post is properly placed with the cap h on its upper end, and is driven into the ground, preferably with a heavy wooden maul,

such as is in use or easily made by everyfarmer. The driving causes an increasing divergence of the brace e from the post a and a consequent firmer bracing of the latter.

The post is easily and quickly driven, dispenses with driving-guides, gives the greatest strength with the least weight of metal, is firmly fastened by merely driving it into the ground, is rigidly braced against the lateral strain that comes on it, and is very cheap.

The increasing scarcity of proper wood, the cost of digging post-holes for wooden posts, and their rapid decay render a really good metallic post the cheaper of the two, although its first cost may be a little more. This is the case with my new post. While it may cost a little more at first, yet its durability, its saving the expense of digging holes, lightness, and facility of erection soon compensate for th greater value of the material.

The place of pivoting the brace e to the post a may be higher or lower, as preferred, but must be high enough to be above the surface of ground when driven, and brace the post against strains, as well as secure it in the ground. In case it is lower than is shown the plug h may be made long enough to reach and drive it, or the pin 9 may be made strong enough to carry it down with the post a. It may, however, be as long as the post a.

The post maybe driven by the use of other forms oi driving-cap, if preferred.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A flange iron drive-post having a drive brace pivoted to it high enough to be and brace the post above the surface of the ground when driven, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5 2. A flange iron drive-post having a drivebrace which is shorter in length and smaller in cross-sectional area pivoted to it, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. A flanged iron drive-post having a drive- I0 brace which is smailer in cross-sectional area than the post, substantiallyas and for the purposes described.

4. A flanged iron drive-post having a drivebrace of smaller cross-sectional area pivoted to it, substantially as and for the purposes de- 15 scribed.

5. In combination with a flanged iron drivepost having a drive-brace pivoted thereto, a drive-cap, which rests upon the upper end of the post, and a plug or extension, which rests 20 upon the upper end of the brace, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

J. HENRY HELM.

Witnesses:

T. B. KERR, J AMES H, PoRTE, 

